James C. Logan, cousin from my blog, Logan Theories- Restalrig, Scotland , went to our Scotland lands in June and visited historical sites relevant to our Logan history. He and his wife visited and stayed with another clan member in Gavington. When they weren’t discussing clan business, they toured the ruins. James has given me permission to share these with you. All photos are courtesy of James C. Logan.

On one of their first outings, John led them to visit the ruins of Fast Castle and nearby Siccar Point. “Fast Castle was once held by the Logan Barons of Restalrig – also held by the Clan Douglas and Lord Home. The approach is very steep and slippery. ”

Ruins of Fast Castle

Other points of interest John took them to “included several churchyard cemeteries where ancient Logan’s are interned from a very early time. Edrom Kirk, for example, was established in the Middle Ages about 1147 and the chapel added in 1499. The existing church was rebuilt in 1732 and then repaired and partially rebuilt in 1886. The only fragment of the 12th century church is the doorway to the entrance of the Logan burial enclosure. The ancient inscriptions on the tombs inside are very difficult to read.

Edrom Kirk

They also visited “the site of the 1513 Battle of Flodden, where the 4th Baron, Sir John Logan and his eldest son perished in battle at the hands of the English commander, Lord Dacre. The Battle that day saw the loss of 10,000 Scots, mostly of the nobility, including King James IV of Scotland.”

Flodden Battle Field

“In Edinburgh, under John’s guidance included St. Margaret’s Church, St. Anthony’s Chapel, and Lochend House. The Logan’s once owned Leith and Leith harbor as part of the Barony of Restalrig.

St Margaret’s Church is located in Restalrig, now a suburb of Edinburgh. The original church existed in Restalrig from before the 4th century, dedicated to St. Triduana. A new church was built on the site in about 1165. The foundation for St. Triduana’s Chapel and St. Triduana’s Well adjoin St. Margaret’s Church.

St. Triduana Chapel and grounds

Inside St Margaret’s is a stained glass window dedicated to the Logan’s. This was the church of the Logan Barons of Restalrig up until 1610.”

“The foundation of St. Triduana Chapel is a hexagonal structure now capped with a square structure with a peaked roof, abutting St. Margaret’s. When St. Triduana died in Restalrig on 8 October 510 AD, the story is that “a well of pure water” sprung up where she was buried. In 1438, Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig erected a hexagonal tomb over her grave which provided pilgrims access to the “curative” well water. ”

“In the basement of St. Triduana’s Chapel, we noted a large (about 6 ft tall) tombstone for Lady Janet, Ker — Lady Restalrig — but with one corner broken off and missing, containing the date. The ladies guiding our tour of the Church could not supply the date. But John recalled seeing a picture of the tombstone. We looked it up in Scott’s Heraldry by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, Oliver & Boyd Publisher, Edinburgh, 1934. Lady Ker was the wife of Sir Robert Logan, the 7th and last Baron of Restalrig. Lady Ker died in 1596.”

“While in Edinburgh, John took us on a short auto tour of the city, passing by Holyrood Palace and the new Scottish Parliament, then to Arthur’s Seat. Arthurs’s seat is a very large volcanic plug next to the volcanic plug on which Edinburgh Castle is built. Half way up one side of Arthur’s Seat is the ruins of St. Anthony’s Chapel, reported to have been built in the 1100’s by the Logan’s of Restalrig.”

DoocotRuins of St. Anthony’s Chapel

“Our tour of the Edinburgh area included a visit to Lochend House, Restalrig, which is the site of the Old Logan Castle of Restalrig. All that remains of the Castle is the Doocot and one wall with the last standing chimney of the Castle. The castle wall is now decorated with modern graffiti and the chimney is hardly visible through the trees.

On the site of the old Castle are several apartment buildings and a modest post World War II mansion, Lochend House. Lochend House is boarded up and run down, and is now on the market for sale, I am told, at a mere 220,000 pounds (about $300,000 or so).

One day while studying the roadmap, John noticed a reference to Nell Logan’s Bridge. So we had to investigate. After several wrong turns we finally found the bridge. The bridge was built in 1793 over Preston Burn. A prison cell was built under the bridge by adding walls and floor, and small windows and a door with bars. Nell Logan was the last prisoner. She was charged with sheep steeling. It’s not known what her fate was.”

Nell Logan’s prison cell under the bridge

“Was Nell tried and convicted or found innocent? Was she punished? These questions beg for more research. It’s a mystery! A new bridge was built above the old bridge in 2010 to provide 2 lanes across Preston Run, but the old bridge is still there, under the new one.”

I thank James for including me on his family email on his trip to Scotland. And, I invite all Logan’s to become members of the Clan Logan Society International. Clan Membership

Proud to be a Logan!

By the way, here is the sacred burial plot containing the heart of Robert the Bruce.

Works In Progress

I created this blog for my family. Even though I can give you copies of my tree, it does not tell the stories I find about each ancestor. Here, I hope to be able to share with you those interesting tales from the “Witch Trials” to the “Mayflower” or why our family names have changed and even the sensational stories of intermarriages and scandals.

If you would like help with your own family history, click on “Research Specialist Services” above.